


Hic Sunt Leones

by spirithorse



Series: Tales from Britannia [5]
Category: Code Geass
Genre: M/M, Suzalulu Week 2015
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-24 04:11:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4905037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spirithorse/pseuds/spirithorse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short one-shots written for Suzalulu Week 2015 to celebrate the 7th anniversary of Zero Reqiuem.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. King Takes Knight

**Author's Note:**

> All of these are shorts written and posted between 9/22 and 9/28. They're all still on my tumblr under the #suzalulu week 2015, but also put here for archival purposes. Title take from a Latin phrase meaning "Here be Lions", which was used on maps the same way the Europeans used "Here be Monsters."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Blue"

Lelouch watched Suzaku process up the aisle towards the throne, fighting to keep himself from frowning. The entire empire was watching and there were enough people that hated the idea of raising an Eleven to part of the Knights of the Round. The racists and bigots already had enough ammunition without having evidence of the eleventh prince glaring at the newest Round. It wouldn’t even be the right conclusion to draw. He was furious, but not with Suzaku.

He watched his father out of the corner of his eye, the emperor wearing his usual serious expression. There was no hint that the emperor disapproved of his choice for Knight of Seven or that he was even happy to finally be filling in gaps in the Rounds that had been left open for twenty years. Charles could probably launch into one of his famous speeches about the glory of the empire and how they would hold it together through sheer might and the subjugation of lesser people in the world and no one would bat an eye. Lelouch was sure that the nobles assembled for the occasion would cheer and agree without noticing that Charles had just knighted one of those lesser people.

The week between the announcement of the new Knight of Seven and the ceremony had been filled with nobles and news stations trying to figure out why the emperor had decided to raise a Number to the highest order of Britannian knighthood. The thing that all of them had seemed to settle on was that the emperor was trying a new way to keep the Areas in order.

The military was already spread out, taking care of uprisings in Area 18 and with the Euro-Britannians. Cornelia had been gone for a year in the former and Schneizel had been running back and forth between Britannia and Euro-Britannia for the past two years. Neither of them were at the knighting ceremony, drawn away by their revolts.

According to everything that Lelouch had heard, the only reason that Suzaku had been chosen was because he was a Number and an Honorary Britannian. There had been an in depth dig into his past, only to come up with nothing. He had a spotless record of service to Britannia, the only flaw that any of the stations could find was that he had been the only son of Japan’s last Prime Minister, Genbu Kururugi. 

Even then, they applauded the move. The emperor was making a brilliant move by knighting Suzaku Kururugi, he was showing the Numbers that, if they were good, contributing members to the empire, then could aspire to great things. It was something that everyone agreed had to happen, because then the revolts would stop and Britannia could go back to its peace.

Lelouch wanted to laugh at all of them, because they couldn’t be more wrong. Britannia wouldn’t go back to a peaceful empire. The _Britannians_ would stop being bothered by the shortages and news of constant rebellion. Peace wouldn’t come around just because his father decided to put a Number in the Rounds. There were many ways that peace would come, but Charles wouldn’t listen to any of them.

In the end, all of them were wrong. Charles didn’t care about peace; war gave him the excuse to push for more territory in the empire. Britannia hadn’t lost a war yet, so the emperor could afford to continue angering the Numbers. It was a way to keep the young nobles out from under the empire’s feet and entertained so they didn’t turn on the empire herself. Knighting Suzaku had nothing to do with foreign policy, although Lelouch was sure that Schneizel would work hard to make it so once he got back from his latest trip to the EU.

The real reason his father was even bothering to knight an Honorary Britannian was to spite him.

Lelouch curled his hands into fists, his stomach turning as he watched Suzaku kneel in front of his father. Lelouch was sure that he saw Charles glance over to him and smile before the emperor turned to the task at hand. He turned his head away, staring at the floor as he tried to ignore his father’s words.

It wasn’t fair, because Suzaku had been _his_ first.

Suzaku had been his friend since ten, in his guard since fourteen. He had wanted to knight Suzaku, as was his right. If he was going to be joining Schneizel in trying to stop Britannia’s slow roll over the world, he needed protection from both the rebels and his own people.

Lelouch had every right to choose his own knight and the guard that would surround him, but the emperor had taken that away from him. Lelouch didn’t even know the reason, but he barely cared. He was furious that his father had taken something of his _again_.

He glanced up in time to see Charles stepping aside to allow the Knight of One to walk forward. There was another oath, one that had Suzaku promising to serve and preserve the empire. Lelouch felt something catch at the back of his throat, biting his lip to keep from coughing. His father was turning Suzaku into a pawn of the empire and all he could do was watch.

Bismarck nodded when Suzaku was finished with the oath, shaking out the cape of the Knight of Seven. It was held up so the crowd could see, Lelouch wanting to laugh as they all made appreciative noises. It was all just a complex pageant of the court and they weren’t impressed by the knighting. They were impressed by the power.

The Knight of One draped the cape over Suzaku’s back, the gold embroidery glinting in the lights of the great hall. The sight of the blue and gold with the symbol of the Knights of the Round made his stomach turn. It was the symbol of Britannia’s conquests, the symbol of his father and it was on Suzaku.

Lelouch could feel his father’s stare on the back of his neck, and he could just imagine the smile that was on his father’s face. Charles thought that he had outmaneuvered him and punished him for whatever petty thing that had encouraged Charles to do this. Charles thought he had won by painting the symbol of Britannia across of Suzaku’s back, but that’s where he was wrong.

Suzaku glanced over at him, some of Lelouch’s rage calmed by the smile that his friend gave him. Suzaku held his gaze for a moment before looking back down at the group, but his smile didn’t go away.

Charles might have made sure that Lelouch could never have Suzaku as his personal knight, at least not until Charles had died and there was someone else in power, but Suzaku wasn’t his. Suzaku might be a Knight of the Round but, with the way he was looking at Lelouch, there was no danger of him becoming Charles’ creature alone.

Lelouch felt the corner of his mouth twitch up, not bothering to hide the smile. The cameras would catch it and the people of Britannia could wonder what it meant until the next big piece of news showed up. Lelouch didn’t care. His father would see it and know that he hadn’t been beaten down yet.

It wouldn’t fix what Charles had taken away from them, but it wouldn’t matter.

At the end of the day, Suzaku would come back to him. More importantly, as soon as they were back in their room Lelouch would get to strip the stupid cape from him.

He thought that the blue and gold monstrosity would look better on the floor than it ever would on Suzaku.


	2. Sun and Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Sunflower"

_Sunflower commonly means adoration, loyalty and, because of the flower’s connection with the sun, longevity._

* * *

 

The fields behind the Kururugi shrine were in full bloom, the tall grass and sunflowers waving slightly in the breeze. The fields looked pristine despite having lived through two Black Rebellions and the last battle of Emperor Lelouch. 

Suzaku was sure that there were plenty of craters, pieces of Knightmares or discarded weapons hidden somewhere in the grass, but the plants were so tall that it was impossible to see any debris. It was like the Black Rebellion had never happened, that none of it had ever happened. Suzaku almost expected to turn around and see him and Lelouch at ten rushing towards the fields. Or he would be the one running, Lelouch would have taken his time.

Suzaku shifted the bag he was carrying, turning around to look behind him. There was nothing behind him but more sunflowers moving in the breeze. Save for the sound of the cicadas there were no other sounds.

The house and shrine through the woods and up the hill were deserted, they had been since he had killed his father. The small collection of houses around the hill were too far away for Suzaku to hear anything from them. Even Tokyo was too far away for him to see or hear. The only thing that he could see was Mount Fuji in the distance, the mountain altered by the explosion of Sakuradite that Lelouch at set off. 

Suzaku winced at the sight and turned away. The decapitated Mount Fuji was just another reminder that everything wasn’t the same. This wasn’t his childhood, he couldn’t go back to it. Peace might have come, but it wasn’t enough to cover everything that had happened.

If Mount Fuji wasn’t enough of a reminder, the way that he had snuck through Tokyo and his old house was another reminder. Suzaku Kururugi was dead and buried for the good of the world, as was Lelouch. There was nothing left of the two children who had played in the fields. The only thing that had survived from that summer was Nunnally, and she had changed irrevocably as well. The entire world had changed, and Suzaku still wasn’t quite sure if he was proud of what he had done, but it had been needed. It didn’t matter what Suzaku Kururugi thought anymore, because he was dead. All that he had to worry about was Zero’s duties now.

But there was one more duty for Suzaku to carry out, one more favor for an old friend.

He glanced around the field before readjusting the strap of bag. Suzaku started to trek through the tall grass, heading over towards the center of the field. No one could find what he was going to bury in the field, not that Suzaku would think that anyone would come looking. There might be a noticeable mound for a while, but Suzaku was sure that the grass and sunflowers would cover it up in no time. And then, just like the scraps from the Black Rebellion, it would be lost and forgotten.

Suzaku carefully set the bag on the ground, dragging a hand through his hair. Despite fall coming it was still hot, like the summer was trying to hang on as long as it could. At least that meant that he would have good weather to work in, Suzaku couldn’t imagine trying to dig a hole in the rain. As it was, he only had one afternoon to work with.

Nunnally was taking a day off for once, using a bit of free time to visit with Rivalz and Milly, meaning that she didn’t need Zero hovering over her shoulder. He wasn’t sure how Milly or Rivalz would take it. They might not have agreed with what Lelouch had done, but he had still been their friend. Standing in the same room with Lelouch’s murderer might be too much for them. It would certainly be too much for him, especially while the wound was still raw. In the end, it was better that he was away.

He glanced over at the bag, sighing and reaching for the shovel he had shoved through the straps. He hadn’t snuck out of the administrative building with a shovel, it would have looked suspicious if Zero had been leaving the building with a shovel and a bag, even more so if someone in the uniform of a royal guard had attempted the same thing. As it was, Suzaku had been nervous that the guards would check his bag while he was leaving. It would have been equally as difficult to explain why someone dressed as one of Nunnally’s guards was carrying an urn with ashes in it.

The shovel had been easy enough to find in the end, there had been one in the old storage shed on the estate. Suzaku had rushed through his search, not wanting to linger in the shed for too long. At least the shovel had been easy to find.

Suzaku rolled his shoulders before starting to dig, trying to keep the hole from straying too close to any of the sunflowers. He didn’t want to get rid of too many of them, not when they would be the only marker that the grave would have. Suzaku gritted his teeth and focused on digging, having to lean on the shovel to get it through the grass and soil. It was hard going at first, but it got easier as he managed to tear the grass away.

It was a relaxing exercise in a way, far better than just standing at Nunnally’s side and watching for danger or ready endless reports on the state of the world. He wasn’t in the suit, sure that he was still seeing streaks of blood out of the corner of his eye. He could also feel the wind in his hair, the slight strain that digging put on his muscles. It was something other than the dull ache in his feet from standing or in his back while he tried to stand like Lelouch had. It was hard to be Zero when Lelouch had made the man all flare and confident posture. All Suzaku knew was how to blend into a crowd or to fall back into military posture. It was good just to be him, if it was only for a few hours longer.

It was somewhat fitting that the last act of Suzaku Kururugi was to dig a grave.

He stabbed the shovel down into the mound of dirt, staring down at the hole. It was plenty deep enough for the urn, but Suzaku found himself hesitating. He was well aware of the pull of his duty, his promise to Lelouch to keep a watch on Nunnally and the world, but he felt that his friend deserved more.

Suzaku shook his head, brushing his hands off on his jeans. He knelt down and pulled the urn out of the bag. He ran his thumb over the brass plaque, smiling softly. It wasn’t the grand funeral that Lelouch would have liked, such a quiet thing might have almost been an insult. Lelouch probably would have wanted a grand affair, a last reminder of the threat that the demon emperor and a reminder to the world that the eleventh prince couldn’t be shoved around. Suzaku didn’t think that Lelouch had it in him to be forgotten. Unfortunately, Suzaku wasn’t able to give Lelouch that.

If there had been a way to do it, Suzaku would have brought Nunnally with him. She deserved to see her brother being laid to rest, but it would have looked suspicious if the empress of Britannia had left with Zero and no other guards. The only chance that Lelouch had to rest peacefully was to have his grave a secret and Nunnally far away, at least for now. Maybe there would be a time when Nunnally could visit her brother, until then Lelouch vi Britannia would get to rest in the only peaceful place that Suzaku knew of.

He lowered the urn carefully into the ground, shoving in a bit of dirt to make sure that it wouldn’t tip over. Suzaku rocked back onto his heels, biting his lip.

There should be words said, but the only ones he could think of were the biting ones that he had never been able to get out before they had reached their truce. Everything else had been waved away, because Lelouch had kept every one of his promises. Lelouch had left nothing but silence between the two of them.

Suzaku ran a hand down his face, not caring that he smeared dirt on it. He would wipe it off when he got closer to people, but he wanted the reminder for a little while longer.

He swallowed and shook his head, giving up on words. They had never been his strong suit. Lelouch had always been able to twist them whatever way he wanted. He had built a world on his words, even if most of them had been lies. At a loss, Suzaku reached forward to touch the top of the urn. It was an inadequate farewell, but Suzaku felt like that’s all the two of them had been doing to each other, from the end of Britannia’s war on Japan to Zero Requiem. He brushed his fingers over the decoration on the top of the urn, rocking back on his heels.

That was Lelouch taken care of, but there was one more person that needed to be buried.

Suzaku pulled his bag over to him, reaching into the front pocket and taking out the two other items that were there. He ran his fingers along the length of the quill pen, smiling at it before shaking his head.

Officially, Suzaku Kururugi was buried in Aoyama cemetery. He had watched the whole ceremony while it had been broadcast to the world. Lelouch had showed him he inscription he had worked out with a soft smile. The world would always remember him differently, but the inscription on his false grave was the first honest, standing reminder of what he had been. The headstone was the only honest thing about the plot. Still, it hadn’t felt right to bury what really remained of him in the grave, so there was no better place for the loyal and consummate knight to rest than with his emperor.

He laid down the feather, watching as it curled around the base of the urn. He quickly tipped in the pin he had gotten from Euphemia, staring at the two of them as they rested in the dirt. He fought the urge to snap them up again because they were his most precious possessions, which was why putting them to rest made sense.

Suzaku stood up, grabbing the shovel. He rolled his shoulders before starting to shovel the dirt back into the hole. It didn’t take too long, especially compared to how he had had to break through the grass. Suzaku was careful to pack in dirt around the urn, wanting to keep it as upright as possible. He was still left with a pile of dirt, Suzaku staring at it before scattering it around. He saved one handful for himself, pressing a kiss to his fingers before dropping the dirt onto the grave.

The mound of earth stood out from the rest of the field, but Suzaku didn’t think it would matter. When winter came the whole field would be bare. By the time the next summer came, the patch of ground would be nothing but grass and sunflowers.

Suzaku hitched the empty bag over his shoulder and turned away from the grave, leaving Lelouch’s remains to rest peacefully beneath the sunflowers.


	3. Joyeux

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "The Sword." Part of [the AU where Lelouch and Suzaku meet as teenagers](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/98730212940/coldnobility-requested-princelelouch-and).

Lelouch stared at the scabbard laid out on the table, resisting the urge to reach out and touch it. He was sure that someone had made sure to clean the sword after it had spent so long tucked away in one of the storerooms around the palace, but he was almost afraid to find a bit of mold or a stray cobweb, anything that would ruin the image that the sword had just been dropped off in his rooms.

It had come all the way from Britannia, searched out on his request. In the end, Cornelia had been the one who had found it and she had seemed eager to do him the favor. There had been a note with the sword, something about it being about time he looked after the safety of himself and his sister, but Lelouch hadn’t paid it much attention. Cornelia was bound to say the same things that the purebloods had been saying since he had convicted the people behind the slaughter in Shinjuku. Apparently, freeing an innocent man meant that he was just going to throw himself and Nunnally into danger.

Then again, Cornelia might have had a point, considering the hotel-jacking that had happened a few days ago. Lelouch had never expected Nunnally to try and negotiate with the terrorists, and he hoped that she would never have to do it again for his sake. For that condition alone, perhaps it was best to listen to his older sister.

He reached out for the sword only to draw his hand back, still slightly in awe of what he was looking at.

He had asked Cornelia for a sword for his knight, hoping that she would give him the name of someone that could craft something worthy of any knight that he chose. She had gone beyond anything he had ever asked for, and he was staring at the results, staring at something that he never thought that he would see again. Lelouch wasn’t sure if he wanted to yell at Cornelia for daring or thank her for finding it. He might leave that to Nunnally, considering he was swinging towards the former.

Lelouch curled his fingers around the edge of the table, taking a deep breath. What he thought about what Cornelia had done didn’t matter, it meant one less thing for him to keep tabs on through the upcoming days. And, despite all of his anger, it was perfect. There was nothing else that Lelouch would want for his knight now that he was staring at it.

The beep of the door startled him, Lelouch getting to his feet as the door started to slide open. He expected to see Jeremiah coming in, full of apologies and complaints about what was going on. Lelouch was ready to snap out an order for the man to get out when he saw Suzaku standing in the doorway.

He relaxed as Suzaku loitered there, planting one hand on the table so he could lean over it. “Suzaku.”

“Your highness.” Suzaku bowed, the motion still stiff and ungainly. Lelouch had learned that about the Britannian bow, it had never looked right since he had come to Area 11.

Lelouch sighed and motioned for Suzaku to come into the room, watching as the man glanced at the sword on the table. Suzaku’s gaze lingered on it for a moment before the man snapped to attention. He was still in his pilot uniform, which meant that he had come right from whatever update session that Lloyd had been working on. If Suzaku was standing in front of him, it also meant that Lloyd wouldn’t be coming in to report to him. Cecile might come later to give him the report, but Suzaku would try and give it to him first.

He held up a hand to stop Suzaku from speaking, instead inclining his head towards the chair. He didn’t think that Suzaku would take the offer of a seat, but he had to make an effort. Maybe one day the two of them could be equals, but he hadn’t managed to convince Suzaku of that yet. Lelouch would have liked to hold off on his request until they managed to reach that point, but he didn’t have the time.

Area 11 was becoming a hotbed for rebellion, small groups of terrorists springing up to fight after the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Kusakabe. The man had been a fool, but he was fast becoming a hero to the Japanese who wanted their country back. It would be foolish to try and hold his ground like the pureblood faction wanted him to, not that he had ever planned to be swayed by them. If he listened to them then Britannia would be able to hold for a matter of months, and the country would be ripped apart in war. The only avenue open to him was to listen to what the people were saying, and he intended to. He intended to keep Japan from fraying apart at the seams.

And to do that, he needed Suzaku.

Lelouch circled around the table so he was standing in front of it, careful to keep to one side so Suzaku could see the sword that was still on the table. He watched Suzaku’s gaze stray back to it every once and a while, letting the suspense drag on for a moment before he spoke up.

“I suppose this means that the Lancelot is still undergoing tests.” He waited long enough to see Suzaku nod. “And I guess that they are going well, or Lloyd would have been reporting in himself.”

“Yes, your highness.”

“Suzaku…”

Suzaku licked his lips and glanced back towards the door. It had slid shut while Lelouch had been sizing up the situation. There was no one else in the room, but Suzaku still hesitated.

Lelouch sighed and leaned back on the table. “Suzaku, please.”

“Yes…Lelouch.”

He relaxed a bit at the sound of his name, even with the hesitation. Lelouch couldn’t tell if Suzaku relaxed, the man was still standing at attention. Lelouch waited a moment longer before sighing and waving his hand. It was a relief when Suzaku slid into parade rest. Lelouch counted it as a small victory, giving Suzaku a smile.

“I’m almost glad. There’s something I wanted to talk about you in particular.” He noted the way that Suzaku tensed, the soldier almost sliding back into attention. Lelouch sighed and reached behind him, pull the scabbard forward by the clips and chain that would attach it to a belt.

He held the sword up, cradling it carefully in two hands. Lelouch saw Suzaku shift forward, but most of his attention was on the sword. “This was my mother’s, when she became the personal knight of the emperor. I didn’t know what happened to it when she died. Apparently, it just got stored away somewhere in the palace. Father didn’t even bother to keep it as a memento, he just threw it away.” Lelouch swallowed, taking a moment to try and chase the anger out of his voice. He shook his head. “It doesn’t deserve to rot away in some forgotten room. A sword like this should be used.”

He paused to glance up at Suzaku, smirking when he saw that the boy hadn’t looked away from the sword in his hands. Lelouch took a careful step forward. “You’ve probably heard the rumors that I will be choosing a personal knight. In a volatile place, it’s best to have someone watching my back, especially when things are going to get worse. There’s only one person I trust to do that.”

Suzaku seemed to catch up with him then, the soldier taking a quick step back. He shook his head. “No. I’m not the best choice.”

“I’ve thought this out.”

“You don’t know me. There are things that I’ve done.”

“I know about your father.” Suzaku visibly flinched, Lelouch stopping his slow advance. He let the sword drop a bit, dangling the weapon by his side. Lelouch bit his lip before meeting Suzaku’s gaze. “Kirihara was very vocal when he and I were discussing the Sakuradite mines, especially when he thought that his position was being threatened. He seemed very eager to do what he could to remain where he was. Maybe it was him not wanting to give up control, or maybe because he wants to continue to fund terrorist operations behind my back. I’ve found that I don’t care, because whatever he does works right into my plans. The only thing I need, is someone that I can trust to watch my back.”

“What about Lord Jeremiah or one of the other guards?”

“They would stop me. The purebloods have no reason to try and fix the situation. By making it worse, they get to stay in power and get all the glory they want. I want to make sure that Area 11 is stable…at least for now.”

Suzaku shifted nervously in front of him, Lelouch not sure what was making the man hesitate. Lelouch sighed and leaned back on the table. “The situation that this country is in is untenable, it will either fracture apart or crumble into war. I’m not willing to accept either option. Are you?”

Suzaku shook his head, but he still didn’t look sure. Lelouch was probably going to have to convince him, something that made his stomach turn.

He was the best Knightmare pilot that Lelouch had seen, and Lelouch was sure that there were other Elevens that could do just as well. Seven years of being told that they were useless had probably sent most of them away into hiding. If it was this hard to convince Suzaku to take what he was due, then Lelouch couldn’t imagine what it would take to get the rest of them into places of power. That wasn’t even counting the time that he would spent convincing the Britannians that the Elevens had the right to hold the positions that he had given them.

He had hoped that knighting Suzaku would give him a shortcut that he could use. Having an Eleven in a position of power would cut through most of the arguments and leave him more time to work through the important problems, like the growing number of terrorist groups and how to settle matters to bring the country back to some kind of peace so he could actually work.

Lelouch held up the sword again, not offering it out to Suzaku again. He just stared down at the scabbard, picking out the nicks and cuts in the leather. He smoothed his thumb over one of them before looking up at Suzaku. “You said you wanted to save people, and this is your chance. You and I can fix this.”

He thought he saw the corner of Suzaku’s mouth twitch, not sure what the movement. For a moment, he thought Suzaku would refuse, but then the man stepped forward and rested his hand on the sword.

Suzaku’s hand only rested on the scabbard for a moment before it slid away, but it was better than Suzaku avoiding it entirely. It wasn’t an answer, but it was progress.

Lelouch sighed and turned to set the sword on the table. He noticed how Suzaku followed the motion of the sword, careful to hide his smile. Suzaku might still be hesitating, but Lelouch was sure that the soldier would come to a decision soon and Lelouch was sure that he had him.

He brushed his fingers over the scabbard, running his fingers along one of the deeper cuts in the scabbard. He would have to get them fixed or replace the scabbard entirely, a thought that pained him. It was one of the only things he had left of his mother and he didn’t want to throw anything away. Then again, his knight deserved to have the best, especially with what he would be facing.

Lelouch looked back up at Suzaku, nodding at him. “You’re dismissed if you’re waiting for that. If not, Nunnally was talking about inviting you to dinner. She told me to request your presence.”

“Why?” By the look on Suzaku’s face, he hadn’t meant to ask the question.

Lelouch shrugged, leaning back on the table. “She likes you, we both do. Does there have to be a reason?”

Suzaku stared at him for a moment, shaking himself a moment later. “I have a few more duties to take care of, but please tell the princess that I’ll be there.”

Lelouch nodded and turned around, pausing when he heard Suzaku start moving. For a brief moment, Lelouch hoped that Suzaku would walk close and stay with him instead of moving away like he was always doing. He was disappointed when he looked over his shoulder and saw that Suzaku was heading out the door. Lelouch braced himself against the table, looking down at the sword.

It wasn’t much, just a promise to think on the offer and a dinner with Suzaku, but it was better than nothing. Winning Suzaku over would be like winning back rights for the Japanese; it would be slow and through small steps. It was something that Lelouch would have to take his time with, no matter how much his impatience pushed him. All good things came with time, he just had to remember that, no matter how much it annoyed him.


	4. The Trail We Blaze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "I told you we should have turned left."

Lelouch glanced between the map and the spires of granite that were in front of him. None of them matched, not that Lelouch had expected anything from the rough drawing to match. He wasn’t sure that the map was even drawn to scale. Then again, he didn’t know how huge the island was. All he knew was that it was away from his sister’s flagship and somewhere between Britannia and England. It wasn’t much to go on, but it was certainly better than sitting around in sister’s ship and waiting for her judgment of him. Alive and lost was better than dead and dumped in the sea.

He smoothed the map a few times, using the motion to keep himself calm. The map was the only thing that they had, the one thing that they had snapped up from the few supplies they had managed to bring from the longboat. Suzaku seemed to be sure they were on the right island, but that really meant nothing. Maybe if they could get into the center of the island they would be safe from Cornelia and her fleet, but there might not be anything there, no matter how many times Suzaku tried to convince him that they had hit something interesting. Lelouch had never known his half-sister to carry anything useless with her, but the map could have belonged to one of her knights or any of the soldiers that she had brought along with her in her half-baked plan to take back their homeland.

He huffed and flicked the edge of the map before rolling it up. He wished her luck, just so long as it was far away from where they had landed. It would mean that he and Suzaku might have been stuck on the island with nothing but a few supplies and a horse, but that was still a plus in his book. Just as long as the two of them got away from the beach and towards the center of the island, somewhere where they could at least try to make some sort of base and work out how to survive until the next boat from anywhere but Britannia passed.

A snort drew his attention back over his shoulder, Lelouch sighing when he saw Suzaku leading a black horse up the small trail. The horse walked calmly along despite the narrow trail and the boxes that were tied awkwardly to its back. The horse raised its head slightly when it started to draw level with him, Lelouch shaking his head. The horse might have been surprise, but at least it was useful.

Suzaku pulled the horse up beside him, peering over onto the map that Lelouch was holding. Lelouch saw Suzaku frown as the man stared at the map. He leaned a little bit closer before shaking his head. “Do you know where we are yet?”

“We’re away from the beach and heading up into the hills.” Lelouch shook the map. “This thing doesn’t show any hills. It’s all flat with those symbols.”

“So you don’t think it’s real.”

Lelouch snapped his mouth shut, not willing to start up an argument that they’d been having for the past few days. He was tired of going over the same points only to have Suzaku refuse to move because of his stubbornness. The only thing he cared about were the three landmarks they had passed thus far. 

He sighed and looked down at the map again, tracing the path that they had taken so far.

Suzaku was sure that they were going the right way, especially since they had seen the coat of arms carved on the rock by the beach. Lelouch hadn’t been able to say anything, not when he had stared at the symbol of a dragon with its wings outstretched, just like the one on the map. He had lost some of the wonder the longer he tried to interpret the map.

There was a chance that the hill looked like it had a dead giant sprawled on the top, but it could be rocks that had gotten there naturally. It was the same situation with the standing rocks. With all of the rocky outcrops, they could have fallen into that formation. Someone might have hauled the lintels into place on the rocks long before the two of them had gotten there, but Lelouch didn’t think that they were around anymore. From what little they had seen of the island, Lelouch didn’t think that anyone was there.

He felt Suzaku slip an arm around his waist, relaxing into the touch. He leaned back into Suzaku, shaking his head. “I know that it’s leading us to the center of the island. I would just prefer that we follow something that we need, like a stream.”

“There’s one over there.” Suzaku tipped his head to the side. “That’s where I took Shinkiro to get water while you looked at the map.”

Lelouch raised an eyebrow, about to ask if they could follow the stream when Suzaku’s attention went back to the map. “Have you found the unicorn yet? That should be the next clue.”

“No.” Lelouch stepped out of Suzaku’s embrace, quickly rolling up the map. “I don’t even know what it could be. The dragon looked like it should be a rock, they just drew a giant on a hill. The unicorn could be anything.”

“Then we keep looking.” Suzaku leaned over to kiss Lelouch’s cheek.

Lelouch turned his head to move the kiss to his lips, but Suzaku was already pulling away. The man clucked at the horse, Shinkiro snorting and starting to pick his way over the trail. “Come on, we’ll find it. We’re going in the right direction, I can feel it.”

Lelouch rolled his eyes, but followed after Suzaku. “We should have taken the other path. It was wider.”

“But it was also away from the stream.” Suzaku looked over at smiled at Lelouch. “This is right, Lelouch, trust me.”

Lelouch gave him a long look, not sure if Suzaku noticed it. The man was too busy scanning for the illusive unicorn, whatever that would be. Maybe, if he let Suzaku look long enough, he could convince Suzaku to spend the next day walking along the stream’s course. They would probably find a place that was less rocky and they wouldn’t run the risk of Shinkiro going lame because of the sharp rocks. They didn’t really have a use for the horse now, but it would be stupid to squander their resources and Lelouch was sure that it would worry Suzaku.

He sighed and reached out to touch the back of Suzaku’s hand, watching as Suzaku’s fingers uncurled. It was an offer, Lelouch not sure if it was an automatic response or an offer of an apology. It was comfortable, Lelouch knew that. It was a small comfort in a strange land and Lelouch was not above taking it.

He slid his fingers between Suzaku’s, relishing the solid press of Suzaku’s palm against his own. They might be on a strange island, marooned for who knew how long, but at least he wasn’t alone on it. 

Suzaku was the one with the survival skills, Lelouch was just good with people. Knowing how to manipulate people on a deserted island was worthless, he would probably starve to death before someone came on the island. Then again, being on the island would have probably driven him insane to the point where he would have jumped onto the first passing ship, Britannian or not.

A tug on his hand made him walk a little bit faster, Lelouch still carefully lagging behind so he wouldn’t be stumbling along the edge of the trail. It put him at Shinkiro’s shoulder, not that he minded. The horse seemed content to just plod along. Lelouch reached up to steady himself on the horse’s shoulder, finding himself looking around for the unicorn landmark. Lelouch rolled his eyes but didn’t stop looking. He didn’t know if he actually wanted to find the unicorn for Suzaku sake, or if he was hoping that they wouldn’t find it.

Maybe then he could convince Suzaku to just head towards the island’s interior without looking for some mythical civilization by following a map that made no sense.


	5. Save the Last Dance for Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Music." The title is from _Save the Last Dance for Me_ by The  
>  Drifters.

Suzaku was getting used to the sight of Lelouch hanging around in his rooms. The sight of his old friend semi translucent and sometimes just barely on the floor still made his stomach twist; although he had gotten better about staring at the bloodstain on the front of Lelouch’s robes. Nothing about it was normal, but Suzaku was getting used to that. It was better than returning to his empty rooms and being along with his thoughts. He had gotten enough of that in the years when he thought that Lelouch was gone for good.

He pulled off his mask, taking a deep breath of air. It always felt like coming up from underwater when he took off the mask, a comparison that would probably make Lelouch laugh. Lelouch would probably have told him that it was supposed to feel like freedom, like becoming something more than himself. That might have been true for Lelouch’s Zero, but his Zero was a duty, a promise that he had made to a friend. One who was still sticking around.

Lelouch was lying back on the couch, Suzaku turning his head to catch the soft smile that Lelouch offered him. Suzaku returned it, feeling some of the tension that he had picked up during the day start to unwind. It was like coming back to the Lelouch he remembered from Ashford, the one wasn’t frantic with energy as he worked up to Zero Requiem.

Suzaku glanced down at the mask in his hands, turning it over before shaking his head. He placed the mask on the nearby table on his way to sink into one of the chairs. Suzaku sighed and closed his eyes, taking a moment to rest and breathe without restriction.

He felt a cold breeze move around his left side, Suzaku turning his head towards the cold spot. He felt a focus of cold on his jaw, Suzaku tipping his head back with the soft pressure. He opened his eyes, watching as Lelouch moved around to the back of the chair.

Lelouch paused just in Suzaku’s line of sight, tipping his head towards the line of windows. Suzaku copied the move, catching a hint of sound. He shook his head and settled back in the chair, keeping his eyes open when he felt the cold spot move away from him.

Lelouch was out of his line of sight, which meant that he was somewhere by the windows. Suzaku shrugged and tipped his head back again, wanting nothing more than to take a moment to clear his mind. He had never gotten into mediation as a child, there had been too much to do. Now that he was older it was helpful, especially because of all of the political information he absorbed. Not all of it went completely over his head, but there were so many little things that it sometimes felt like his mind was getting cluttered. Taking a moment to try and sort out all the facts and minutia that he had gotten through the day helped calm him down, which meant he had a better chance of sleeping at night. Suzaku wasn’t sure that it helped with the nightmares, but it at least meant he got a few more hours of sleep.

He was going over the situation with the former Chinese Federation when he heard Lelouch make a noise of frustration. Suzaku leaned forward, twisting in the chair so he could see what Lelouch was doing.

The ghost had a hand curled like he was trying to open the door. Lelouch sighed and took a step back, looking helplessly over at Suzaku.

Suzaku sighed and shook his head, pushing himself out of the chair. He bit back the urge to make a comment, not wanting to deal with Lelouch snapping at him and disappearing.

The first time it had happened, Suzaku had spent a week in a panic as he waited to see if Lelouch would come back, or if he was gone forever. He had even lingered in the new hall in the hopes that there was something that would still tie Lelouch to the place again. Suzaku had never found out exactly where Lelouch had gone, but he didn’t want to know. Somehow, it helped to still have Lelouch around.

He stepped carefully around the ghost, opening the door to the balcony. Suzaku stepped out first, going to lean on the railing and look out through the heavy screen of trees. It was the only place outside the palace that he could stand without a disguise or the mask. The trees were planted close enough together that no one could see in. Suzaku couldn’t see much outside, but it didn’t matter, it was better than locking himself in cages.

Suzaku glanced over his shoulder as Lelouch stepped out onto the balcony. Lelouch hovered close to the doors before inching forward, coming to lean on the railing beside him. Suzaku could see that Lelouch wasn’t really touching the balcony, but he chose to ignore it, turning his attention back towards where the music was coming from.

He nodded in the direction of the sound. “It’s Henry’s birthday tonight. The two of them are celebrating with friends and family.”

“You weren’t invited?”

“Having Zero standing by would just kill the mood, and I don’t mind.” Suzaku looked back at Lelouch, surprised by the mournful look on his face. He would have thought that Lelouch would push him to be there, to watch Nunnally and keep an eye out for dangerous political situations. Suzaku had been ready to defend his position, but there was nothing.

He jumped when Lelouch touched his shoulder, quick to step into the touch. Lelouch was more hesitant about his touches now and, while Suzaku could never look at where they touched for fear of running the illusion, he didn’t want Lelouch to stop.

Suzaku shivered as Lelouch’s hand slid closer to his neck, feeling a slight pressure as Lelouch rubbed a finger against his neck. He swallowed and watched Lelouch’s expression carefully, surprised by the tenderness there. “I made you a ghost, didn’t I?”

Suzaku shrugged, but didn’t pull away. “It’s what we had to do to change the world.”

“We didn’t know what feeling like ghosts was like back then.” Lelouch’s hand moved up to his cheek, Suzaku leaning into the touch.

It wasn’t anything like it had been before, not that Suzaku had thought that they could turn back time. He wouldn’t want to, not with the continued peace in the world. The two of them had done something beyond the two of them, something that had made up for all of their crimes.

Suzaku shook his head. “I’m really fine with this, Lelouch.”

He got a hum as a response, a familiar sound that meant Lelouch wasn’t convinced. Suzaku didn’t bother to try again, letting Lelouch rest against him before the ghost pulled away.

Lelouch moved to lean on the balcony next to him, still hovering close. He picked at the railing, Suzaku sure that Lelouch’s fingers weren’t actually making contact. “Are you going to stay out here?”

Suzaku tipped his head up, staring up at the night sky. The stars were obscured by the lights of Pendragon, but that didn’t take away from the night. The desert air wasn’t too hot, but it hadn’t cooled down too much from the day. Better yet, the music drifting from the ballroom made it like is own private concert. Suzaku tapped his fingers against the railing in time with the music, smiling over at Lelouch.

“I think I might. It’s a nice night, and I’m in good company.” He thought he saw Lelouch blush, but it was hard to tell with Lelouch’s opacity.

Suzaku scooted out hand out a little, holding it out on the railing. It only took a moment for Lelouch to catch on, Suzaku smiling as he felt cold center over his hand. He could just imagine Lelouch sliding his fingers through the gaps in his own, but he didn’t dare to look, not when it would ruin the illusion.


	6. A Question of History

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Service and Sacrifice"

Recent studies into the various identities of the masked persona of Zero have stalled many times, often because of the royal family itself. Empress Nunnally and her successor, Emperor Richard, have both refused to talk about the current person behind the enigmatic mask of Zero. And, while they freely admit to the fact that the person behind the mask has been changed up to four times, they stop short of telling anyone who the person is.

“The identity of Zero is kept secret for one reason,” says Cynthia Wood, the publicist of the royal family. “They are a symbol of the people’s right to justice and a reminder to all governments that the rights of the people should come first in their decisions instead of being squandered. This is why Zero always stands behind the heads of governments while they are signing international laws.”

While the identity of the current Zero is kept a close secret, the royal family of Britannia has agreed to start releasing the names of those who have served as Zero upon their deaths. With the official count of persons serving as Zero at four, one currently in service and one retired, there have only been two names released to the public; Simeon Halfort, who was killed in the line of duty while preventing the reformation of the Chinese Federation, and Suzaku Kururugi, the infamous Knight of Zero.

The release of the latter name caused an uproar in the community, as it was well documented that Suzaku Kururugi was killed in the Battle of Mount Fuji on August 28, 2018. The cause of his death was a complete system failure within the Lancelot Albion, causing it to explode after a drawn out battle with the Guren SEITEN, piloted by Kallen Kozuki. His death came mere moments before the emperor’s announcement of his victory over the combined forces of Prince Schneizel and the Black Knights.

Three days after his death, Suzaku Kururugi was buried in the Aoyama Cemetery, were his grave has become a popular tourist attraction, pilgrimage sight for Britannian nobles hoping to bring back the old ways and, strangely enough, the cemetery’s resident cat population. Any attempts to dig up the grave, whether by the Japanese who wanted the traitor knight to be buried somewhere away from their country or by historians hoping to put an end to the [Kururugi Affair](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1098495/chapters/2843416) by proving that Suzaku had been dead long before the strange letters were found has been blocked by both the Japanese government and the royal family. The Japanese government seems to have made peace with one of their most controversial sons and prefer to leave him where he rests. Empress Nunnally vi Britannia spoke for the Britannians, citing a favor to an old friend and a wish that he be left in peace.

The controversy of Suzaku’s actual date of death was left to rest for twenty years after the Kururugi Affair, when a series of events made it impossible to ignore the mounting evidence that history was purposefully twisted. One was the aforementioned release of the names of the first two Zeros announced by Crown Prince Rupert li Britannia. The other was a particularly bad rainy season that caused horrific flooding in the Aoyama Cemetery. 

The Kururugi gravesite was threatened by the onslaught, causing caretakers of the cemetery to begin to disinter him in order to prevent the loss or injury to his remains. What they found was an empty coffin.

News of the empty coffin spurred a nationwide search for the remains of Suzaku Kururugi. The Japanese government even issued a reward for its return, Prime Minister Akari Tohdoh hinting strongly that they suspected that the body had been stolen. After a year of an intensive search, nothing was found, leaving the entire world baffled about what had happened to Kururugi’s body. Theories ranged from a secret reburial by Empress Nunnally to alien abduction.

The matter was left to simmer until early 2118 when Emperor Richard vi Britannia ordered work done on the royal cemetery in Pendragon. Harsh weather conditions and rushed building had led to most of the cemetery’s grand monuments to collapse and for royal bones to be exposed. While most of the remains of the royal family had been destroyed in Emperor Lelouch’s burning of the royal mausoleum and the destruction of Pendragon in 2018, a few had been recovered and identified through genetic testing. Princess Euphemia li Britannia was also returned home and reinterred in the new cemetery. Prince Schneizel el Britannia was laid to rest there as is the current crown prince’s great grandmother, Cornelia li Britannia. 

The restoration was a joint effort between a Britannian team headed up by Eli Moon and a Japanese team led by Sakura and Syaoran Li. In addition to putting the cemetery back to rights, the teams made an effort to better catalog the bones that had been brought in from Old Pendragon as well as restore the monuments and statues.

When the teams turned their attention to the small mausoleum that Empress Nunnally had dedicated to her brother Lelouch, they were shocked by the pristine state of the structure. Even with its unsteady base, the structure seemed to have been kept in a much better state than the others. The teams found evidence of graffiti that had been scrubbed clean and flaws in the structure fixed, albeit inadequately. Behind the coffin they found a supply of paper cranes which, upon counting, revealed that there had been one placed there every day since the monument had been completed, even after the death of Empress Nunnally.

Further surprises waited for the team when they started to tackle the base of the mausoleum. Upon digging they discovered a chamber right below the floor of the mausoleum. Further searching showed that the room didn’t have an entrance to the building above it, but a stone behind the upstairs coffin had been removed and replaced within the last fifty years. Inside the room were simple marble coffins, marked with the names of the Demon Emperor and the Knight of Zero.

\- Taken from _A Loyal and Consummate Knight: Further Studies on the Kururugi Question_ by Alysia Cailean


	7. To a Prosperous Year

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for the prompt "Happy Endings." Part of [this AU where](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/98394281029/saillune-requested-your-interpretation-of-suzaku) [Lelouch convinces Suzaku to join him](http://eachainn.tumblr.com/post/98978114617/anonymous-requested-suzalulu-dont-trust-me). Title taken from _Masquerade_ from Phantom of the Opera.

Suzaku collapsed onto Lelouch’s bed with a groan, feeling the ache all down his back. He had spent the first half of the day in the Lancelot, then running patrols for the Black Knights and then he had snuck into the administrative building with Lelouch to finish up the Special Administrative Zone plans.

At least the SAZ was done, which meant he wouldn’t have to spend two more weeks bent over pages of legalese, searching for loopholes. Between the three of them, they had managed to get the SAZ to a point where it would satisfy both parties, and Suzaku was glad of that. He never wanted to see another official document again in his life.

The other side of the bed sagged, Suzaku opening one eye to see Lelouch sitting on the edge of the bed. His friend was partially hunched over, staring at the ground or his shoes. Suzaku sighed and rolled closer to Lelouch, pressing his face against the small of Lelouch’s back. “C.C?”

“The usual. Innuendo and in the guest room.”

Suzaku lifted his head just enough to stare at the wall that Lelouch’s bed room shared with the guest room before giving up. With the way he was feeling there wouldn’t be anything tonight, which meant that there wouldn’t be knowing grins and careful dodging of questions around Nunnally at the breakfast table.

He curled closer around Lelouch, nuzzling his face into his friend’s side. He felt Lelouch shift, humming when Lelouch started carding a hand through his hair. Suzaku tilted his face up, expecting to see some kind of satisfaction through Lelouch’s exhaustion, but there was nothing. He frowned and shifted so he was almost sitting up. “Lelouch?”

“It’s finished.”

The words didn’t sound right, not after the two weeks they had spent working out Euphemia’s proposition. 

Suzaku had thought that Lelouch would consider it a triumph. The Black Knights had managed to get Britannia into a position where they would consider starting to bend to their demands. It wasn’t the truth, but Suzaku was sure that it was the way that the press would see it. Entering talks with the sub-viceroy might not have been the complete victory that Lelouch had wanted, but it was better than working through the endless cycle of raids and half victories that the Black Knights had gotten stuck in. Besides, with the way that Cornelia was pursuing them now, it was hard to keep the casualties low.

Personally, Suzaku was just glad that there was a solution. He was exhausted from running patrols in the Lancelot and then going back to run the same courses with one of the Burai. Then there was the careful dancing around the fact that he was essentially spying on Cecile, Lloyd and their entire operation. At least now he could stop worrying that they would catch him, or worse, Lelouch would order an attack on them.

He sighed, shifting so his shoulder was pressed against Lelouch’s. “It is. I thought there would be more of a celebration.”

Lelouch shrugged, still looking unsettled. Suzaku frowned, about to ask what Lelouch was worrying about when Lelouch shook his head. “No. It’s just…it’s been a long day.”

Lelouch scrubbed a hand over his face, muttering something into his hands before pulling them away. “I’ll have to tell the Black Knights. Their opinions on the matter will be...interesting.”

Suzaku winced, imagining the arguments that would follow. He was sure that half of them would be willing to cooperate with the SAZ, even without Lelouch’s input. The other half would try and talk Lelouch out of the promises that he had made to Euphemia. Making agreements would be seen as the coward’s way out or bowing to Britannia. Suzaku was sure that the Lelouch would lay out all the concessions that he had won for them, and the Black Knights would still be divided.

He bit his lip, wincing when he tasted blood. He couldn’t think of a solution, and he doubted that Lelouch could do much better. They would just have to deal with whatever the Black Knights threw at them. The only problem would be if Lelouch decided to shift back to his previous stance, that the SAZ was a waste of time and the only way to win was a complete victory.

“So you think it won’t work.”

“No. I think we’ll have a hard time convincing them, but we’ve made it to work, at least for a year.”

Suzaku thought Lelouch looked relieved. It would mean a year of staying put and working in a small area instead of racing around all of Japan. It would be a chance for Lelouch to work on his United States of Japan in a smaller scale before trying to convert the whole nation. It would also give the Black Knights a well deserved break. They had been going for nearly six months now without a halt. If their soldiers didn’t need their break, then Lelouch definitely did. Suzaku couldn’t remember the last time Lelouch had slept through the night between the raids and teasing out information from the Britannians. Even C.C. had started to look at him warily, like she expected him to collapse on his feet.

He reached back to drag his knuckles down Lelouch’s back, smiling when Lelouch leaned into the touch. Lelouch’s eyes flickered shut for a moment before his eyes closed completely. Suzaku scooted closer, resting his head on Lelouch’s shoulder. “Take the victory. We’ll take the Black Knights when we can.”

“You can say that, you’re not the one who will have to answer to them.”

Suzaku shook his head. “I’ll protect you.”

He thought he heard Lelouch snort, preferring to ignore the sound. Lelouch was grateful, but he was tired, which meant that he was more likely to snap.

Suzaku just dug his knuckles into Lelouch’s back slightly harder, grinning when he got a grateful groan. For a moment, he was tempted to coax Lelouch into something more suitable for a celebration, but the very thought just exhausted him more.

Suzaku sighed, instead nuzzling into Lelouch’s neck, more for comfort than anything else. Lelouch seemed just as pleased, leaning into him. There would be time for celebrations later, when the two of them weren’t about to fall asleep on their feet. He nudged Lelouch, not sure if Lelouch even felt it.

He shrugged and leaned against Lelouch. His friend would move eventually. Until then, Suzaku was content to bask in Lelouch’s presence and the knowledge that they had finally come up with a solution to help Japan.


End file.
